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8.13.2014

OF LATE...

Very little has been happening at the house the past two weeks... We spent a few days with my family in Pennsylvania after my grandmother passed, and as soon as we got back home Ez's sister and family arrived from Chicago to spend the week swimming, picking crabs on the patio and hanging out. All last week we were home only when we were sleeping, going straight from work to my in-laws'. I wish every week could be packed with so much fun and so many lovable people, but we're all definitely a little baggy under the eyes and ready for a reboot on our regular schedule.

Ez did manage to get the shed floor painted and the lumber racks installed somewhere along the way. The rest of the stuff has just been shoved inside without much organization, since we wanted to ditch the storage pod ASAP/we didn't want everything to get rained on/we haven't been home. This is not exactly how I envisioned the process going, but I'm actually not bothered by it. That ugly pod is gone -- hallelujah! We desperately need to mow and do some other yard cleanup, and then I'll share some updated outdoor photos.

Speaking of the outdoors, my garden is still producing like mad (so many green beans!), and it's finally tomato season! (I'm writing this during my work lunch break and simultaneously enjoying a tomato sandwich. My summer dreams are coming true.) My window box is still looking glorious too, but it seems as though our magnolia tree is officially dead. We dug it up and replanted it after we determined it was root-bound, and I've babied it for weeks, but the last of the green leaves have finally dried up. This might be a controversial thing to do, but I'm contacting the nursery to see about an exchange. We followed planting and care directions to the tee, and I called them for advice as soon as it started looking sick, so I don't feel it's terribly entitled to ask what our options are.

It's ironic that we live in a log house and are having such bad luck with trees lately.

Yes, it rained steadily alllllll day on Tuesday -- the first day we've had like that since spring. No damage where we are, though. It's been a weird summer here. Maybe I'm used to the way the mountains break up the winds a bit in Pennsylvania, but it seems like the storms have been very severe in Maryland the past two years actually. Very strong winds, hail, downed trees, etc. It's a little unsettling!